Cane mill



Feb. 13, 1940. E, WI KQPKE 2,190,029

CANE MILL Y Original Filed Aug. 13, 1935 2 4Sheets-Sheet 1 ERNST Vv. KOPKE BY Hls ATTORNEYS Feb, 13, ma E W, KQPKE 2,190,029

CANE MILL Original Filed Aug. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvl-:NToR ERNST W. KOPKE VBY Hls ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 13, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CANEMILL `Ernnt W. Kopke, Baton Rouge, La.

Application August 13, 1935, Serial No. 36,014 Renewed June 17, 1939 9 Claims.

This invention relates to mills for extracting sugar from sugar cane and more particularly to the type of mill which has three rolls. One

object of my invention is to produce a sugar 5- cane mill construction which will be more efficient than the millsheretofore known and which can be embodied in mills of the prior art without rebuilding `the entire mill. A characteristic of this invention is that the feed roll and turn plate l0- are free-floating.

In the ordinary three-roll sugar cane mill the top roll is provided with hydraulic rams which bear on the brasses or bearings at the end of the roll in such manner as to press the. top roll in a l5 downward direction. 'I'he pressure for these hydraulic rams is provided by means of an accumulator. By means of this hydraulic ram arrangement the top roll can yield when an excessive amount of sugar cane passes between the feed 10i roll and the top roll. Inasmuch as the opening between the feed roll and the top roll is greater than between the top roll and the discharge roll it follows that any variation in position of the top roll due to the entrance of an abnormal z5 amount df cane between the top roll and the feed roll will cause a greater variation of the pressure between the discharge roll and the top roll. Owing to the dierencein pressure at the two points where the cane is squeezed ln a three- :su roll mill the operation of the machine is very inefiicient. If the force exerted by the rams is resolved into components it will be found that the greater pressure existing between the discharge roll and the top roll produces an un 35 balanced conditionin whichthere is a cornponent force tending to obstructl free movement of the top roll. Furthermore, the fact that only certain components of the force of the hydraulic ram can be effective in squeezing the cane it fol- 4U. lows that excessively powerful driving means are required. Furthermore. vin mills heretofore known the turn plate has been xedly mounted so that it cannot adjust itself to operate properly on different thicknesses of cane passing over it.

4;," Due to the fixed position of the discharge roll and the restricted action of the top roll due to the frictional trouble above-mentioned it follows that where maceraton of the cane is practised the results vary widely from minute to minute.

:.u.: Without uniformity it is of' course impossible to adjust the machine to maximum efficiency.

' In a three-roll mill made in accordance with this invention there are provided hydraulic rams which press the feed roll towards the top roll.

g5, The feed roll is mounted by means of a threepoint suspension, that is to say, with two rams, one at each end of the roll beneath the journal boxes and arms extending from the journal boxes to a point midway between the ends of the roll and at one side of the roll, i. e., the discharge o side of the machine, where the levers join and are pivotally connected to afixed member by a universal joint. This makes it possible for the feed roll to move vertically as a whole'or to tilt through a small arc. y 10 In order that this construction may cooperate properly with the other parts of the machine the usual turner bar and plate are mounted on the arm or arms carrying the feed roll. By mounting the turner plate in this way it is adjusted from l5 moment to moment automatically by the machine in accordance with the amount of cane entering between the feed roll and the top roll. Mounting the turn beam and turn plate on the means supporting the feed roll 'permits of obo taining an accurate control of the pressure between the top roll and feed roll `as well as between the discharge roll and the top roll to produce a uniform crushing. i It also makes possible obtaining a high percentage extraction by in- 35 troducing water or the mixed juices at the turn plate and has other advantages, not the least of which is the elimination of the necessity for surplus power to take care of momentary high pressures between the rolls. The mounting of 3A0 the feed roll as described and the application of the power used in a direction which permits of the rolls moving readily produce a compact machine which operates in a very efficient manner.

Referring now to the drawings- $6 Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a mill constructed in accordance with this invention, a side portion of theframe being removed and parts broken away in order to show other parts more clearly; 40

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through a side portion of the frame as on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and 46 gular' shapeand having spaced side walls I, Ih and 2l, 2b respectively, joined by suitable transverse partitions Ic and 2 arranged to provide a number of chambers in each side portion, and at some of the chambers, portions of the side walls are omitted to'provide access thereto. In chambers near the bottoms at one end of the side portions I and 2 of the frame are mounted jacks or rams 4 supplied with pressure from suitable compressed air or hydrauliclpressure systems, not shown. The plungersv 5 of the jacks or rams 4 support journal boxes 6 slidably mounted in the side portions of the frame I, suitable bearing blocks 8 and I6 being interposed between the plungers 5 and the journal boxes 6 and between the jacks 4 and theframe, respectively. lJournalled in the boxes 6 are the journals I2 of a discharge roll I4 which cooperates with a top roll I6 having journals I8 mounted in bearings 26 at the upper portion ofthe side portions I and 2 of the frame. Suitable cap pieces 22 secure the journals I8 in position in the frame. Channel members 23 and 24 are bolted to the ends of the side portions of the frame to re-eni'orce the frame against the stresses resulting from the action of the jacks upon the rolls.

In other recesses formed at the opposite ends oi' each side portion of the frame rams or jacks 26 are mounted. These jacks vare also supplied with iiuid under pressure from the system which supplies the jacks 4 and have suitably curved bearing plates 21 between the jacks and the frame. The plunger 29 of each jack 26 supports an end 36 of a yoke 32,' suitable bearing plates 3| being interposed therebetween. On each end 36 there is mounted a journal box 33 which receives a journal 34 oi' the i'eed roll 36. The yoke 32, as shown in Figure 2, is oi' substantially U-shape with the ends 36 lying between the side plates I* and Ib, 2El and 2b of the side portions I and 2 respectively of the frame and joined by a transverse portion 31 of substantially T-cross-section.

which extends through openings in the inner side plates Ib and 2b. Projecting from the transverse portion 31 in the direction opposite to the ends 36 are the converging arms 38, 36b and'38f which are formed integral with the transverse portion 31 and are united to form a bearing housing 38d shaped to receive a substantially spherical bearing portion 39 formed on a shaft 46 which is provided with journal portions mounted in housings 4| and 4I carried by the transverse member 3.

Adjacent the opposite ends of the transverse portion 31 of the yoke, bolts, not shown, secure bearing blocks 43 to the upper face oi the transverse portion 31, the blocks 43 being adjusted to the desired position by the set screws 45 mounted in lugs 41 formed integral with the transverse portion 31. The bearing blocks 43 are provided with openings in which are journalled trunnions 46 at the ends of a turner bar 48 which has secured to its upper end the usual turner plate 56. Pivotally mounted on the arm 38b of the yoke is a lever 52 the upper end of which bears against the turner bar 48 while the lower end of the lever is pivotaliy connected to one end of a link 54, the other end of which passes through a lug 55 formed integral with the member 38b and is threaded to receive a nut 56 so that adjusting the nut 56 will cause the lever 52 to bear against the turner bar 48 and hold the turner plate`56 in contact with the roll 36.

In the arrangement shown the cane is fed between the feed roll 36 and the top roll I6, suitable pressure .being supplied to the jacks 26 so as to cause the cane to be crushed between the rolls 36 and I6 and the juice extracted therdrom. Stops 58 are provided to engage with the ends 36 of the yoke and limit the movement of the roll 36 towards the roll I6. Adjustment of the minimum distance between the rolls may be made by means of suitable shims 59 carried by the ends 36. The crushed cane passes from the roll 36 acros's the turner plate 56 and between the discharge roll I4 and the top roll I6, suitable pres sure being supplied to the jacks 4 te accomplish the desired degree of extraction from the cane. Stops 66 are provided to limit the movement of the roll I4 towards the roll I6 and adjustment of the minimum distance between the rolls is made by means of suitable shims 6I.

The volume of cane fed to the feed roll 36 usually is not uniform nor is the cane uniformly distributed across the surface of the roll 36. When more cane is fed at one end of the roll than the other the jack 26 at that end of the roll yields under the increased pressure permitting the roll totip slightly with respect to' the roll I6. The connection oi'4 the yoke 32 with the transverse member 3 permits of the tilting movement of the roll 36 or of a movement of the roll 36 in an arc toward and away from the roll I6. The movement of the roll 36 with respect to the roll I6 does not affect the pressure applied thereto nor does it in any way affect the pressure to which the cane is subjected between the rolls I4 and I6 and vice versa. The turner plate 56 being mounted on the yoke 32 is xed in its relation with respect to the roll 36 so that the turner plate is moved from the roll I6 as the roll 36 is moved therefrom, thus providing suitable space between the roll I6 and the turner plate 56 for the passage of a volume of cane which causes a movement of the roll 36 from the roll I6. This relation oi the turner plate 56 with respect to rolls-36 and I6 permits of supplying the cane in itsv passage over the turner plate 56 with a suitlable quantity of water or mixed juicesso as to provide for proper maceration of the cane during its passage between the rolls I4 and I6.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cane mill, a frame, a top roll having a fixed axis in said frame. a feed roll cooperating with said top roll,- a yoke in which said-feed roll is mounted for movement'with respect to said top roll, said yoke having a universal connection to said frame and means to apply pressure t0 said feed roll.

2. In a cane mill a frame, a cane crushing roll, a yoke in which said roll is mounted and means connecting said yoke and frame providing a universal connection.

3. In a cane mill, a frame, a cane crushing roll. a yoke having bearings in which said roll is journalled, means providing a universal connection between said yoke and frame in the central' plane of the. frame and means yieldingly supporting said yoke at said bearings. I

4. In a cane mill, a frame, a cane crushing roll, a yoke in which said roll is mounted, means providing a universal connection between said yoke and frame at a single point in the central plane of the frame and a turner plate mounted on said yoke for'cooperation with said roll.

5. In a cane mill, a frame, a cane crushing roll,

a yoke in which said roll is mounted, means providing a universal connection between said yoke and frame, means yieldingly supporting said yoke a,1oo,css

yoke and means for enlslns said plate with" at the roll and a turner plate mounted onl said yoke for movement with said roll.

6. In a. cane mill, a frame, a cane crushing roll. a yoke in which said roll is iournalled, means providing a universal connection between said yoke and frame, means for applying pressure to,` said roll, a turner plate mounted on said yoke for cooperation with said roll and means for.

engaging said plate with said roll.

7. In a cane mill, a frame. a cane crushing roll, a yoke in which said roll is iournalled. means on the central axis of said yoke providing a universal connection between said yoke and said frame,

yielding means for applying pressure to said roll at the ends thereof. a turner plate carried by said said roll.

8. In a cane mill. a frame, a cane crushing roll. bearingsl in which said roll is iournaled. roll holding means in which said bearings are mounted, said roll holding means having a universal connnection with said trame, and means for applying' pressure to saidroll.

. 9. In a cane mili. a frame having a transversef member. a can crushing roll, roll holding means having a universal connection with said transverse member at the center thereof and means for applying pressure to said roll engaging said,

ms'r'w. Kom 1s Y,

roll-holding means. 

